KANSAS CITY, Mo – Eastern Oregon University had seven of its athletic programs named NAIA Scholar Teams Thursday.
For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average includes all varsity student-athletes certified as eligible.
Mountaineer volleyball led the way with a 3.43 GPA for 2010-11. Following for EOU was women's indoor track and field (3.32), women's outdoor track and field (3.31), women's basketball (3.27), women's soccer (3.19), women's cross country (3.12), and men's basketball (3.10).
The NAIA announced that the Lee (Tenn.) University women's golf team has been named the 2010-11 NAIA Scholar-Team of the Year. The Lady Flames finished in the top spot with a 3.86 grade point average during the 2010-11 academic year. A record total of 934 teams, an increase over last year's total of 857, received the award.
Joining Lee to round out the top five are Bryan (Tenn.) women's cross country (3.83), Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) women's cross country (3.81), Iowa Wesleyan volleyball (3.80) and tied for the fifth spot is Shorter (Ga.) women's golf (3.79) and Hastings (Neb.) volleyball (3.79).
Biola (Calif.), Concordia (Neb.) and Hastings had the most teams represented by a school (18). Over 12 percent of the schools receiving the award had a 3.5 or higher grade point average.